Anzio: 2nd Ranger Battalion, Charlie Company
by Colonel Gambit
Summary: Here's the battle of Anzio, as seen with the men of the 2nd Ranger Bat, C Company. PLEASE R + R!!!!


DISCLAIMER: I don't know who owns the whole SPR story, but I sure as heck don't

DISCLAIMER:I don't know who owns the whole SPR story, but I sure as heck don't.And I ain't makin any money off it.

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**Anzio:2nd Ranger Battalion, Charlie Company**

"DOWN THE SIDES!"Screamed the Loadmaster of the Liberty Ship SS John Brown.Captain John Miller began waving his men to head over the sides of the ship towards their landing craft.2nd Lieutenant Bob Briggs looked out over the horizon.

"Good day for an invasion eh Captain?"Miller pulled out his M-2 Thompson submachine gun, put in a fresh clip, and chambered a round.

"Yes it is Briggs."

"Looks as if we're gonna catch the Germans with their pants down." With that, his traditional Nebraska grin spread on his face.

"Get down there Briggs.I'm gonna make sure we got all of our men."Briggs saluted him and secured his M-1 Garand Rifle.

"Aye aye captain!"Briggs headed down the side, with Sergeant Mike Horvath (M-1 Carbine) in tow.Serving in the army before the war had made him a valuable NCO experience that Miller called on often. Already in the landing craft were Sergeant Tom Brantz (M-2 Thompson and point man), T/4 Medic Irwin Wade, Corporal Mike Doyle (Flamethrower), Private Daniel Boone Jackson (the squad sniper with an M-1903 Springfield rifle), and Private James Reiben (on the Browning Automatic Rifle or the BAR).Horvath and Briggs made a head count as Corporal James Winchester (Explosives and an M-1 Carbine), and Privates Adam Mellish (M-1 Garand) and Adrian Caparrzo (M-1 Garand) got into the boat with the rest of the company. Miller, still on the deck, hurried Private James Beasley (M-1 Garand and also company interpreter) and Corporals Jack Henderson and John Thompson (M-2 Browning Machine Gun Crew) to go down the net.Miller scurried below deck to make sure his company was on their way down to the landing craft.He got down to the bottom and found Private Michel Veccio pissing "V's" onto the floor.

"Veccio, what the hell are you doin?Loadmaster ordered us over the side!We gotta go now!"Veccio quickly zipped up his pants.

"Sorry sir.Peeing V for Victory.Just following Churchill's lead capt'n.V for Victory!"Miller picked up the M-1 Garand on Veccio's bunk and tossed it at him.Veccio had his coat on and spun to catch the rifle.

"I don't think Churchill would piss on the Dowdling Street in London Mr. Veccio."As he shoved Veccio up the stairs to the main deck.As Veccio headed down the rope to the LCVP landing craft, Miller turned to the Loadmaster.

"Company C on board sir.Permission to head out."The Loadmaster nodded and Miller scurried down the rope.The rope was hauled up on deck as LCVP 201-03 made for Green Charlie beach.The men looked anxious as they headed for the beach, a mile away.The men looked anxious.For some it was their first landing; others had made the 'Torch' landings at Oman in North Africa.Miller was up at the front of the landing craft giving final orders.

"Gentlemen, for some of us, this is the first landing.For others, its walk in the park.Just stay calm; we're not trying to break the Atlantic Wall, and the Germans don't even know we are landing here.Just keep those actions clear, and I'll see you on the beach."He returned to his place in the back to await the Boatmaster's signal.

"Thirty seconds!Godspeed!"Miller looked at Briggs, Brantz and Horvath.They all looked back reassuringly.Suddenly, they lurched forward as the boat lodged into the beach.The ramp fell, and they lead men were off.No shots were heard.The men headed up to the beach to the rally point.Their job was to take the port facilities at Anzio.They had landed a half mile outside of the city.

"Alright gentlemen, we have a job to do!Double time!"With their weapons at ready (save for the specialists), they headed off and entered the outskirts of the Anzio.The German strength was reportedly a reinforced company of engineers and a squad of infantry; no artillery (Thank God).Miller took them in, and set up his HQ in a blown out building.He ordered his men to disperse, and Henderson and Thompson to find a good position with Horvath in charge. Miller received new intelligence and took half the company with him, including Medic Wade, Cpl. Doyle, Pvt. Jackson, Reiben, Veccio, Beasley, and Cpl. Winchester with Sgt. Brantz as his second in command.Briggs' men included Sgt. Horvath, the M-2 Browning crew, Pvt. Caparzzo, and Mellish.Miller led the squad and soon encountered one of the native Italians.

"Beasley!See if she knows anything."Beasley asked her, and soon told Beasley everything she knew.

"She says, sir, that the Germans have a machine gun ahead, and have about 20 men guarding the docks."Miller nodded and told him to thank her.He then sent Jackson off to find higher ground, and snipe as many Germans down as possible.The rest of the squad moved up.Miller spied the machine gun nest, and heard popping from Jackson's deadly rain of terror.He knew a frontal assault by the majority of the squad would not be phesable.He moved them very discretely into a building right across from the nest.He planned to send Winchester with explosives to blow up the nest and the surrounding obstructions so they could get to the docks.He also sent Beasley back to call up the rest of the company.He positioned Briggs, Brantz, Wade, Veccio, Doyle, and the Browning with eight other riflemen on the first floor to provide immediate cover for Winchester (except for Wade, who was in position to tend to the men most under fire. Miller and Horvath commanded Reiben, Beasley, Jackson (who joined the rest of the company), Mellish, and Caparzzo with six other riflemen on the second floor to provide high cover for Winchester.Winchester was going to "quietly" approach the nest and obstruction's, throw down satchel charges, and detonate them from a safe distance.The rest of the company was supposed to provide cover.

Miller gave the signal, and the company opened up.The machine gun immediately opened up on the Rangers.Miller watched as Winchester skillfully weaved his way to the nest and the barricades the German's erected.Miller's explosive expert threw the satchel charge in front of the nest and it landed exactly where Winchester wanted it to go.He scurried back, but the 2nd Battalion's luck would not hold.A German enlisted man spotted Winchester as he darted through the rubble.As Winchester was setting the detonator, the German opened up with a barrage of 9mm ammo from his MP-40 submachine gun.Winchester was hit several times, and he fell over.Wade wanted to help him, but Briggs on the first floor knew that Winchester was dead.Suddenly, Private Veccio ran out into the hailstorm of bullets and set the detonator.Briggs yelled after him, but speedy Sergeant Brantz was after Veccio in a flash.Veccio landed in a sheltered spot with the detonator.Brantz fell in right beside him.As Veccio set the detonator, he turned it, and was shot.He collapse and the satchel charge did not go off.Miller ordered in haste for Jackson to blow it up with a round from his sniper rifle. But then, Brantz jumped out to check and reset the wires on the charge.Miller ordered Jackson to hold his fire as Brantz crawled over to the charge.Just then, one of the Germans inside the machine gun nest, not realizing that there were explosives sitting right outside the sandbags, tossed a potato masher grenade at Brantz.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"Miller yelled as the grenade went off and exploded the charge right in Brantz's face.The charge blew up and the nest was no more.But Brantz's face was blown to pieces, and he lay motionless.

"TOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"Miller literally jumped out of the second story window, following closely behind Wade, Horvath and Briggs.Wade made for Private Veccio and immediately applied bandages.Miller ordered Horvath take the rest of the company forward to the docks and signal the waiting transports that they could offload new troops.Miller and Briggs stood over Brantz; Miller leaned down and pulled off one of the dog tags and put it in his pocket.Wade was working on Veccio.He was shot in the lungs, and air could be heard passing through the wound when he breathed.Miller and Briggs tried to comfort him as Wade privately pronounced the wound as fatal.

"Cap'n.V for Victory."

"Yes private.We thank you Veccio."Tears were running down his face."You're gonna make it pal.You're goin' home."Veccio smiled and Mellish ran over and reported to him.

"Captain Miller, we have secured the docks and troops are landing."He smiled and looked at Miller, who was looking at Veccio.

"We did it Veccio.All because of you."Veccio's breathing became harder and harder as he drew shallower and shallower breaths.

"Cap'n Miller…it's been an…honor and a…privelidge to…serve under your command."Miller began to cry as Veccio breathed his last.Miller reached down and snapped off his dog tags.

"Forty one and forty two."He turned and walked away."Briggs, you're in charge.

The 2nd Battalion, Charlie Company received a well-deserved time in the reserve formations during the rest of the time in the Anzio beachhead.In early March, all the company commanders of the 2nd Ranger Battalion were assembled with Lt. Colonel Jacob Hopper, CO of the 2nd Ranger Battalion.

"Greetings gentlemen.You've all done one helluva good job here.So much General Alexander has recommended that we are pulled out and refitted."This brought a great cheer from the commanders."Also, we will be officially changing commands.We will no longer be attached to the Mediterranean Command.Instead, we will be move under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force.That's right gentlemen, we're going into France…"

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